Jail-door-locking mechanism



Dec. 17, 1929.

H. D. GARBER JAIL DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 20. 1927 I NYE/W01? A 19 2 621mm, /231 /5 AT RNEYS'.

Dec. 17, 1929 GARBER 1,739,897

JAIL DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed June 20. 1927 6 SheetsSheet 2 ATTORNEYS ZZQTBM Dec. 17, 1929. H. o; GARBER JAIL DOOR. LOCKING MECHANISM Filed June 20. 1927 s Sheets-Sheet s r IL J u III lllvlln l lllllllll INVENTOR 41m D 62mm Y 6%? A TTORN E Y5:

Dec. 17, 1929.

H. D. GARBER JAIL DQOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed June 20. 192'? 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 17, 1929. H. D. GARBER JAIL DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed June 20. 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR; #m'r D. 4311mm.

BY 8% yd QM ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 17, 1929. H. p. G ARBER JAIL-DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed June 20. 1927 6 Sheets- Sheet 6 INVENTOR lax/my l2 6214mm ZQTZZWW A TTORNEY-l Patented Dec. 17, 1929 warren stares:

HARRY n. GARBER, or oLnvnLAnn', onto JAIL-DOQR-LOCKING MECHANISM Application filed June 20,

This invention relates'to mechanism for locking j ail doors and is of the type in whicha row or bank of ail doors is Controlled by mechanism locatedoutside of the jail:- corridor with which all of the cells communicate.

Mechanisms of this general type are well known in'the art,the object. of the present invention being to simplify and improveupon the apparatus by which the jail doors are locked.

In the modern jails where the cells are arranged in banks, and it is necessary to provide'mechanism by which all of the cells in a bankcan be opened or. closed simultaneously by the guards at point outside otthe-prisoners corridor, it is also necessaryito'lock the cell doors open, and to provide means by which the individual cell doors can be opened or closed. without affecting the: other cell doors in the banks. All of these. functions can be performed by the mechanism here shown and described, which is an improvement upon previous constructions of this type-on account of its simplicity.

invention is shown, it being understood that.

the details of construction need not necessarily be tollowechas variations and changes maybe made within the scope of theinvention without departing from the essential features thereof.

i In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one end of airow or'bank of cells, the mechanism being duplicated along the entire bank, the view here being'taken at the end of the row where the control mechanism is located;

Figure 2 is an end view showin the control mechanism;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the lock bolt for a jail door, being a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4;

Figure 4- is a plan view of the parts shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5'is' a section on the line 55 ofFigure 1;

Figure 6'isa section on the line 66 of Figure 1;'

Figure 7 is a section on the line Z7 of Figure v1;

In thedrawings, the preferred form of the 1927. Serial No. 200,087".

Figure Sis an enlarged view at righthand end of a single cell showing the mechanism for locking; the. cells'open and Figure 9 is a View showinga modification by which an individual celkcan becontrolled by a key. A

Referring to Figure 1, the ail enclosure'is indicated by the numeral 1,. and the partition between adjacent cells'by thenumeral 2. The sliding door which ordinarily com-' municates with the prisonerscorridoris-indicated at 3 and the control box'located outside of the corridor. at 4. The track box which extends over the row of cellsisindh cated at 5 being enclosedon all sids except' along' the bottom of thebox' where it is pro vided withaslot G'througli which extendlthe door hangers "7. The hangers are formed with annular bends as shown in Figures: 5 and. 6 for the reception of a baffle plate 8 which is attached to the bottom of thetrack box and extends over the slot 6, thereby preventing tampering withthe: track box Incchanism from below the slot. The upperedges of the door are protected and guided by angle iron rails 9; i vVithinthe-track box over each: cell is lo cated a. horizontal track 10 having. agroovei 11 therein over the door, in :whichtrackwayrun the ribbed door supporting rollers 12' 3 The-hangers 7 are formed upon and depend from a cariage 14 the extremities of which are forked to receive the rollers 12 mounted upon hearing ,pins 15.. In order to prevent the door being liftedo'fi thetrackway, a depending angular bracket 16'is attached to l the carriage at each roller and extendsbelow andbeneath the track 10.

The forward or left hand end'ot each carriage isprovided with a depending hook 18 which constitutes a lock for holding the door invclosed position, in cooperation with a pivoted catch or lock bolt 20. This lock bolt: is shown'in Figure 3, being pivoted on a pin'21 located inflanges22 extending from a plate 23 secured tothe bottom of the track box at the side of each cell. The lock bolt is yield ingly maintained with the catch elevated by a spring 24 attached'to the lock bolt and to the top of the track box. The tail 29 of the bolt is moved from A position.

lock bolt is offset and to a pin 29 on the tail is attached a flexible connection or chain by which the lock bolt may be operated, the chain passing over a series of pulleys 26 to the control box, where the end of each chain is attached to a pivoted control lever 28. It will be understood that there is a separate connection'and control lever for each cell, all of which are brought together in the control box,the chains passing through the track box and being mounted and guided therein, two chains only being shown in Figure 1. Each chain may comprise rigid sections if desired.

It will be observed that there are three positions of the lock bolt shown in Figure 3 and indicated as A B and C positions; A being the locked position, B the unlocked position and C the locked open position, the control levers having corresponding positions in the control box so that the condition of each cell will be apparent from an inspection of the control box.

lVith each door is associated a spring plunger which opens the door when the lock The plunger is indicated at 30 being slidably mounted in lugs 31 formed upon the plate 23 and being urged to the left by a coil spring 32 hearing against one of the lugs 31 and confined by an adjustable collar 33 on the plunger. The plunger is in alignment with a pin 35 adj ustably mounted on the angular portion of the bracket 7. The end of the plunger remote from the door is formed with a squared head 36 which slides upon the plate 23 to prevent the plunger from rotation. The tail 29 of the lock bolt is offset as has been described and extends over the plunger, resting upon a pad 38 on the plate 23. The tail of the lock bolt is located in the path of the plunger head 36 when the door is closed, but when the door is opened and the plunger advanced, the tail of the lock will rest upon the head of the plunger, preventing movement of the lock bolt into locked position until the door is closed.

Each carriage 14 has secured thereto nearits right hand end a vertical guide bracket 40 in which is mounted a sliding latch bolt 41 the upper end of which is forked and provided with a roller 42 by which the latch bolt is suspended from a horizontal lifting bar 44. The bar 44 is carried at its right hand end by a pivoted link 45 pivoted on a hanger 46 suspended from the top of the track box, and at its left hand end by a bell crank lever 48 pivoted on a similar hanger 49. It will be noted that the extreme left hand end of the bar 44 is somewhat higher than the right hand end, the two levels being connected by the inclined surface 50 so that as the door is brought to closed position the latch bolt is elevated slightly.

' The bell crank 48 is connected by an adjustable link 51 with the forward end of the lock bolt, so that as the lock bolt is moved from locking position, the lifting bar 44 will be raised. On the hanger 46 is secured a keeper or detent 52 having a notch 53 on its under surface with which the bolt 41 aligns when the door is fully opened. By moving the lock bolt to its C position the lifting bar 44 is raised until the upper end of the latch bolt engages the notch 53 thereby locking the door in open position.

The end of the latch bolt is directly over the pull bar by which the cell doors are closed. This pull bar is indicated by the numeral 55 and extends the entire length of the bank of cells. The pull bar is made in sections 55 each section being screw-threaded and received in screw-threaded recesses in a block or gap nut 56 at each cell, the gap nut being in register with the latch bolt when the door is closed, and the pull bar drawn forward. The upper side of each gap nut is formed with a recess 57 to receive the latch bolt, the right hand wall of the recess being higher than the left hand wall as shown in Figure 8.

The gap nuts are provided with bearing pins 58 for rollers 59 which travel in a trackway 60, preferably forward as a part of the baffle 8. The pull bar extends toward the control box, being secured at that end to a roller supported rack 62, this rack being engaged by a floating pinion 63 which also engages a stationary rack 64 secured to the top of the track box. The pinion 63 is carried upon the forked end of a link 65 pivoted to a crank 66 carried by a pinion 67 mounted in a bracket 68 in the upper portion of the control box. A vertically movable rack 69 engaging the pinion 67 is mounted in the control box being moved by a pinion 70, supported in brackets 72 and actuated by a handle 7 3 which is held in closed position by a keeper 75. The mechanism which has ust been described, constitutes means for multiplying the movement transmitted by the handle 73.

The operation of the mechanism which has been explained is as follows:

lVhen the cell doors are closed, each door is securely locked by means of the lock bolt 20 and the latch bolt 41 which latter prevents the opening of the door by reason of its engagement with the gap nut 56. This gives a double lock on the cell door and "effectually prevents any opening of the door. It will be noted that all of the locking mechanism is contained within the track box above the cell so that tampering with the locks is effectually prevented. When the cells are to be opened, one or all of the levers 28 are lowered from their raised or locked position A to the intermediate or unlocked position B which moves the lock bolt to its B position, releasing the catch 18, and the spring plunger gives the door impetus sufficient to send it to the end of its travel which may be limited in any suitable manner, preferably by the end of the slot 6, so that the bolt 41 is in register with usa e? the notch 53. If the doors are to be locked open, the selected levers 28 are moved to their lowermost position which moves the lock bolt to its C position, which through the connecting link 51 elevates the latch bolt until it is received in the keeper 52. When any of the doors are to be closed, the appropriate lever or levers 28 are raised which lowers the latch bolt into engagement with the ap nut, and then the pull bar is moved forwardly which moves the door to closed position where it is engaged by the lock bolt. It will be observed that when the bar 44 is lowered, it operates as a positive mechanical means for moving the latch bolt into engagement with the gap nut. Heretoiore gravity has been relied upon to cause the latch bolt to engage the gap-nut, and the present device is an improvement in this respect. Before the door reaches its locked position the latch bolt is, fully engaged in the recess in the gap nut and the doors can be moved either way by the pull bar. As the door reaches its closed position,'the roller 41 rides up along the incline 50 so that the lower end of the bolt 41 clears the lower wall of the gap nut. Thisenables the pull bar to move toward the left after the door is closed so that other doors may be picked up by the pull bar. o

In the modification shown in Figure 9, ad ditional means are provided by which the individual doors may be opened and closed by the turnkey at the cell door. In this form, the end of the lock bolt 20 is attached to a vertical link which, extends downwardly through the bottom of the track box, being enclosed by a casing 81. The lower end of the link is connected to a slotted plate 82 which engages a lever 84 pivoted in the lower end of the casing. By rotating the lever 84 the lock bolt may be depressed, opening the door when desired. The slot withinthe plate 82, permits the operation of the lock bolt without, by the lovers and flexible connections.

It will be appreciated that while the drawings and description have been detailed in every respect so as to enable those skilled in the art to practise the invention, changes and modifications may be made which do not depart from the scope or" the invention as set forth in the claims. Improvements or. alterations which fall within the scope of the ins.

ventionare intended to becovered herein.

What is claimed is:

1. In a jail cell door operating mechanism, a lock for holding the door in closed position, means for securing the door in open position, and a single mechanism for opening the lock to release the door and for actuating the mechanism for securing the door in open position.

2. In a jail cell door operating mechanism, a lock for holding the door in closed position, a detent for holding the door in open position,

pin 83 on a key controlled and a single control mechanism located at a point remote from the door for releasing the lock and for engaging. the door with the de tent at its open position.

3. In a jail cell door operating mechanism, the combination of a sliding celldoor, a lock for holding the door in closed position, a detent for holding the door in open position, and a single lever mechanism for releasing the lock and for bringing a portion of the door into interlocking engagement with the detent.

4. In a jail cell door operating mechanism, the combination of a sliding cell. door, a lock for holding the door in closed position, a slid.- ing latch, bolt on the door, a detentat the open limit of movement or" the door, and means for moving the latch bolt to bring it into engages ment with the detent.

5. In a ail cell door operating mechanism, the combination of a sliding cell door, a lock for holding the door in closed position,an op; erating lever connected to. the look, a latch bolt on the door, a bar over which the latch bolt moves, a detent above the bar, and a con'- nection between thelock and thebar by which the latter may be-raised tomove the latch bolt into engagement with the detent when. the door is opened.

6. In a. jail cell door operating mechanism, a track box above the cell, a pivoted lock for the door located inthe track box, a detentinthe track box, a movable bar located within the track box, a latch bolt on the door and supported by the bar, and means, to, release the-lock and move the bar when the door is opened so as to bring the latch bolt into engagement with the detent.

7. In a jail cell door operating mechanism, a track box above the cell, a pivoted lock for the door'located in the track box, a detent in,

the track box, a bar located in the track box,

a detent adjacent the bar, a bolt carried by-thei door and movable over the bar, a connection between the lock and the bar so that both elements may be moved primarily to release the door and secondarily to bringthe bolt in'engagement with the detent.

8. In a jail cell door operating mechanism,

atrackbox above the cell, and means to secure the. door in closed position comprising a lock bolt, and alatch bolt carried by thedoor, both elements being located within. the track box above the cell door.

9. In a jail cell door operating. mechanism,

a track box above the cell, and means to secure the door in closed position comprising a lock belt, a latch bolt carried by the door, both elements being locatedwithin the track box above the cell door. and means connecting the i said elements to release them s1multaneously.

, 10. In a. jail cell door operating mechanism, a track box above the cell, and meansto.

secure the door in closed position comprising a loc k bolt, a latch bolt carried byfthe door, :3

In id both elements being located within the track 7 box above the cell door, means connecting the and means to rock the links to raise and lower the bar and the latch bolt, the upper surface of the bar being formed on two levels connected by an inclined surface adapted to elevate the latch bolt as the door is brought to closed position. v

12. In a jail cell door operating mechanism, a track above the cell. a door movable along the track, a vertically movable latch bolt on the door, a pullbar with which the latch bolt may be engaged to close the door and hold it in closed position, a bar located above the track, the latch bolt being supported upon the bar, links supporting the bar at either end, means to rock the links to raise and lower the bar and the latch bolt. the up per surface of the bar being formed on two levels connected by an inclined surface adapted to elevate the latch bolt as the door is brought to closed position, a lock for the door, a connecting rod extending from the lock to one of said links, and a detent above the bar into which the latch bolt is moved when the bar is elevated.

13. In a jail cell door locking mechanism, a primary locking mechanism comprising a lock bolt adapted to engage a catch at the upper corner of the door and a secondary locking mechanism comprising a latch bolt slidably mounted in the door, a pull bar, a gap nut in the pull bar with which the latch bolt door in closed position, a portion of the lock bolt contacting with the plunger and held thereby in unlocked position when the door is opened.

15. In a jail cell locking mechanism, a track box, a track in said box, a door movable over the track, a sliding plunger adapted to move the door to open position, and a pivoted lock bolt in the track box, the head of said bolt adapted to engage the door to hold it in locked position, the tail of said bolt lying over the plunger and held from movement thereby after the plunger is projected to open the door.

16. In a ail cell locking mechanism, a track box above the cell, a track in said box, a door movable over the track, a catch on the door, a pivoted lock bolt in the track box adapted to engage the catch when the door is closed, a spring to hold the lock bolt in engaged positi-on, and a lever mechanism located outside vent pivotal movement of the lock bolt when the door is open.

18. In a cell door operating mechanism, a movable lock bolt for the door,.and lever mechanism for operating the same, said parts being movable into three positions, means with which the lock bolt cooperates in' the first of said positions for locking the door in closed position, the lock bolt being disengaged from said means for releasing the door when the parts move into the second position, and means for locking the door open, actuated when the said parts are in their third position.

19. In a cell door operating mechanism, a sliding door, a vertically movable latch bolt in the door, means for moving the latch bolt, and a stationary detent above the door into which the latch bolt is movable when the door is opened.

20. In a cell door operating mechanism, a sliding door, a vertically movable latch bolt in the door, means for moving the latch bolt, a stationarydetent above the door into which the latch bolt is movable when the door is opened, and a lock bolt for the door movable in unison with the latch bolt.

21. In a cell door operating device, the combination with a pull bar having a recess therein, a bolt carried by the door and movable into and out of the recess, and a mechanically operated device for moving the bolt into engagement with the recess.

HARRY D. GARBER. 

